Selectmen get to root of matter on oak: no dough

Tuesday

While most articles at last night’s special town meeting were cut and dried, one article loomed large like the humongous red oak tree that inspired it.

In an overwhelming majority, a $1,600 tree maintenance article for Tree No. 25, a 51-inch diameter hazard tree estimated to be between 150 and 200 years old, was defeated.

In an unprecedented action, a tree deemed hazardous by Tree Warden Thomas A. Chamberland escaped the chopping block by a 4-0-1 selectmen vote back in December.

In a 3-1-1 vote Jan. 7, selectmen favored a $1,600 tree maintenance article to be included on the special town meeting warrant. Chamberland submitted the request to mitigate the hazards of Tree No. 25 (located near 117 McGilpin Road) by fastening three cables and pruning to balance the tree for weight and structural strength.

On Jan. 15, in a 5-1-1 vote, the Finance Committee recommended not to take action on the “Tree No. 25” article, and it is the Finance Committee’s recommendation that the town votes on.

Last night, the tree warden made a substitute motion to approve the article as written, which was shot down last night.

Before the vote, Virginia Peabody, chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, asked if the Board of Selectmen would reconsider its vote if it was overwhelmingly the will of the town voters to do so.

“I asked if we turned it down, if the selectmen would consider voting again to revise their vote to reflect the wishes of the town,” Mrs. Peabody said afterward.

Responding to Mrs. Peabody’s question, Board of Selectmen Chairman Harold J. White said the issue would have to come up at a selectmen’s meeting.

After the meeting, Selectman Edward P. Goodwin said with the formation of a recently approved Tree Committee, the town is going to be proactive when it comes to saving heritage trees such as Tree No. 25

“We’re going to find the trees that have value in the neighborhoods,” Mr. Goodwin said. “Hopefully, in the future, if we have a situation like that we’ll know about it ahead of time so we can get as much grant money as we can possibly get.”

Last night’s vote doesn’t cut down Tree No. 25. It just pushes back the date when the tree warden can work on the tree.

“All it means is between now and the first of July, which is the beginning of the next fiscal year, I don’t have the funds in my budget to address the needed safety work, to address the hazard issue,” Mr. Chamberland explained after the meeting. “As it stands today, coming the first of July, I’ll have my funds for next year and that will be the first tree on the list.”

And the $1,600 for the tree will be spent unless the selectmen rescind their vote.

“I know that some residents have talked to me expressing a desire to have the selectmen reconsider their action,” Mr. Chamberland said. “Whether the selectmen will or not is yet to be seen.”

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